Queensland Police Service turns away would-be recruits due to domestic violence backgrounds

Wannabe recruits to the Queensland Police Force who are on domestic violence orders are automatically rejected, a commission of inquiry has heard.

The Queensland Police Service is embarking on an active recruitment drive for applicants who have survived an abusive relationship in the hope their lived experience will give them a greater understanding when responding to domestic violence calls.

At the same time, the service has had to turn away wannabe recruits because of their domestic violence backgrounds – including one who punched a woman in the face.

Issues surrounding the recruitment process were discussed at the Commission of Inquiry into Police Responses to Domestic and Family Violence, which is holding public sitting days in Brisbane this week.

The Commission heard any applicant subject to an interim domestic violence order was an automatic reject while that order was in place.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Mark Kelly told the inquiry that anyone named as a respondent on a current domestic violence order was deemed “up to unsuitable” to apply and was looked at on a “case-by-case basis” – but in reality they would not progress.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Mark Kelly arrives at the Commission of Inquiry into Police Responses to Domestic and Family Violence. Picture: John Gass

He said the same was the case for someone who had breached a domestic violence order in the past.

“Something like that would be identified straight away in terms of vetting,” he said.

“Certainly we ask applicants to disclose all their history and we have had instances where people haven’t disclosed information.”

Mr Kelly said there had been several cases over the past 18 months of applicants being excluded but attempting to appeal the decision with the Recruiting Appointment Board.

The inquiry was shown an example of a letter that was sent to one applicant after they unsuccessfully appealed.

“Further, (the Recruiting Appointment Board) gave consideration to your insight personally and also as a police officer who would be required to investigate and action matters involving domestic and family violence,” the letter to the applicant said.

“The RAB do not accept the justification provided by you in your response citing the order being one which is ‘vengeful domestic violence orders against ex-partners in means to control and to manipulate them’.

“This order was heard and issued by a Magistrate with no contest as you as a respondent.”

Mr Kelly said anyone who had previously been excluded because of a then-current domestic violence order who chose to reapply down the track would have to be carefully assessed as to their suitability.

“Certainly we‘d have to look at what a person had done in terms of rehabilitation in terms of what they had done after the events,” he said.

“But by way of example, I know recruiting the other day excluded an applicant whose order had expired.

“They‘d looked at the circumstances where the partner had actually agreed to the order being discontinued at a particular point (and) that person was still excluded.

“They looked at the history, they saw that what warranted the order was an assault where the lady was punched in the face and that person was excluded.”

Mr Kelly said the current recruitment drive was aimed at diversity and lived experiences.

He said in the past two years, First Nations people had made up 3.5 per cent of new recruits and close to 3 per cent were people born in non-English speaking countries.

“And our current program, the Made For It campaign, which is (aimed at) people from different backgrounds,” Mr Kelly said.

“Certainly people who have had backgrounds in abusive relationships so that we can attract those people to the police service.”

The Queensland Police Service’s recruitment website currently features profiles of police officers from diverse backgrounds.

One is a survivor of domestic violence, another grew up in a household of abuse and drug use and another talks about using his Indigenous culture to help young people.